


seeking truth

by Val_Creative



Series: IT Movies Fic-Palooza 2019 [42]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Adult Losers Club (IT), Angst and Humor, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, M/M, Movie: IT (2017), Movie: IT Chapter Two (2019), Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Suggestive Themes, Teasing, Teenage Losers Club (IT)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 11:00:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21073793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Val_Creative/pseuds/Val_Creative
Summary: 5 + 1 prompt. Five people find out in unexpected ways about Richie and Eddie’s relationship, and one person knew all along.





	seeking truth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LilahLace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilahLace/gifts).

> Requested by LilahLance (AO3): "5 + 1 prompt, with five people finding out in unexpectedly ways about Richie and Eddies relationship, and one person who knew it all along." Yes,,,, I did 5 + 2. I'm sure you guys don't mind. It's oddly appropriate that I put this fic up right now when my mom last night blurted out that she knew I was gay. And it wasn't really positive or comforting. I'm not feeling all that great. Anyways please enjoy and any positivity right now would mean the world tbh,,,

*

The first person might have been Mike. He's compassionate and straightforward, but also has a good eye for detail.

Mike looks over his copy of the long photobooth strip, hunching over his desk lamp.

It's still 1988. Late September.

Richie and Eddie peer over Ben's shoulder in the first photo, wiggling out their tongues obscenely to the booth's camera. The rest of the photos below are them laughing into each other's faces, noses crinkled. Richie's hands fist onto Eddie's shirt-collar, tugging him, and Eddie's fingers clutch onto the back of Richie's head. Their eyes bunch up in pure, adolescent longing.

*

Then again, it might have been Bill who put it together first. He has known Eddie since they were in diapers.

Eddie never goes into Derry High School's community pool in junior year, or any year, rambling about toxicity levels of water and _giardiasis_ and _cryptosporidium_. During a Monday morning, they all witness Greta Keene shouting at Richie about "hogging" the diving board.

In her little, floral cap and swimsuit, Greta angrily pushes Richie off.

He flails in the air, backwards, hitting the pool-water with a full-bodied smack so loud that Bill winces. Eddie's already on his feet, diving in and fishing a choking, shaken Richie out. He glares livid up at her.

*

Beverly knew for sure while visiting for Christmas break, teasing them in a hallway with a freshly cut mistletoe pinned in her hair. She holds it between them, making exaggerated, lip-puckering kisses and gleefully watching Eddie and Richie's cheeks flush.

*

Stanley observes from the corner of West Broadway as the moving van pulls out of Eddie's house. He's already said goodbye.

Richie—more grim-faced than Stanley's _ever_ seen him—suddenly hugs Eddie holding back tears. His face blotchy red. Both of their faces. They don't separate. Stanley can't hear what Richie is saying, but he whispers it bravely against the other boy's ear, their cheeks pushed up. Eddie nods wildly and cries. Richie's palm runs up and down Eddie's back noticeably.

Eddie fumbles for the passenger-side door when he catches his mom approaching. He wipes off his face, ducking down. Mrs. Kaspbrak throws the last suitcase into the trunk, narrowing her eyes resentfully at Eddie's friends. She ducks in as well.

As the Kaspbrak's station wagon rolls out, following the moving van, Stanley finally thinks he gets it.

Richie kept it together _for Eddie_.

He crumbles as soon as Eddie can't see him, bending over, Richie's jaw gritting and trembling. The sobbing happens noiselessly at first, before Stanley picks it up like low, choked breathes. He places a gentle hand on Richie's nape, Stanley's own eyes shining with moisture.

*

It's years and years later when Ben recognizes something's happening.

He goes up to Richie's motel-room, hoping to convince Richie to stay and fight alongside them—Ben walks in on him lying underneath Eddie, one of Richie's legs digging against Eddie's middle. Eddie's left hand clutching under Richie's knee, and his right planted over the warmth of Richie's chest beneath his tee.

Unfortunately, they notice Ben walking in, panicking completely.

None of their friends knew how close Eddie and Richie would be. That, one day, they would both fall in love.

*

(Except that someone else did.)

(Two people.)

*

Sonia Kaspbrak fusses over her son, petting his dark hair and bathing him. Her eight-year-old babbles about _Richie Tozier_. He's _cool_, Mommy. He's _funny_. He wants to hang out tomorrow and play at the arcade just us two and we're _best friends_, Mommy—we're gonna be best friends and live together one day—Mommy, _please_, _Mommy_, can I go—_can I_—_I'll take another bath, please_—

*

Wentworth Tozier peers over his newspaper as his son walks in from the kitchen's entrance. Richie's eyes bloodshot. He studies him with faint understanding, setting his paper down and remaining in his chair while hugging Richie one-armed.

_You'll see him again. You'll see that boy again, Richard__—and you're not gonna let him go, you understand? You're not a quitter. I didn't raise you to quit on someone you love_—

*


End file.
